We have class today

Dear all,

Per common agreement, we have class this evening (it was supposed to be spring break but since we missed last week, we moved it around).

I hope to see you all there. We will watch a film, or part of a film, about a Swedish farmer who keeps a traditional farm, farming with 19th century methods.

Annika

Chapter 9, finally done!

Dear all,

We finally finished chapter 9 (including the grammar) last time!

For next week, read the rest of chapter 10.

In addition, prepare to discuss pg. 8 (or the page coming after pg. 7) in ensamma mamman. Pay attention to the frames - where are they? What are they doing? Make sure you are able to describe the situation and the interior where they are.

Finally, write a short piece about the Swedish crayfish party, based on the episode of Svenska Hjärtan that we watched two weeks ago. If you need to refresh your memory, there is a text about crayfish parties here (in Swedish) and here (in English). Click the link to get to either one of them. I recommend using the Swedish text - it will make your writing stronger and you will be able to avoid awkward translations.

And finally, about some links to webpages with Swedish "snapsvisor"
(not requesting that you memorize this - it is merely to show you how seriously the Swedes take their drinking songs).

LINK 1

These songs are all particularly composed for crayfish:

LINK 2

Here a link from Vin och Sprithistoriska Museet where you can also download songbooklets with snapsvisor:
LINK 3

...because being an organized people, Swedes usually prepare for their drinking bouts by producing a singing program so that everyone will remember the texts to the songs even when sozzled. And nowadays, these booklets can apparently be found easily enough on the internet.

While I remember it!

Here is next week's home work:

1. Read chapter 10 in the textbook.

2. Prepare to talk about page 7 in "Ensamma Mamman."

3. create some sentences with subsidiary clauses and reversed word order based on Joan's hand-out.

Here is Joan's explanation to why "fast" is both a coordinating and subordinating conjunction (she researched it last night!):

As a coordinating conjunction, it is an "adversative" conjunction. Meaning 'opposite', an adversative conjunction "expresses a contrast, restriction or correction."

The examples they give: "Vi har fått en lägenhet , fast den är bara liten."
"Vi bor i en lägenhet, fast den är inte vår."

As a subordinating conjunction, it is a "concessive" conjunction. "Concessive means 'expressing a concession'."

The example: "Han är på gott humör fast han är sjuk."



PS. For Jean: did the last semla make it all the way home? Happy Retirement again!

Sweden, integration and day care

An interesting article in the Economist:

Starting Them Young. Nursery Schools are the Latest Frontline in the Scandinavian Integration Debate.

A Late Update

Dear all,

Here is a somewhat late update on your homework for this week.

For Thursday, finish all grammar for chapter 9 - so all exercises to page 129.

Also correct any writing that I returned to you last week and, if you have not done so, write a summary of the second part of chapter 9.

You may want to refresh your memory about subsidiary clauses (bisatser) although we will also try to put together a handout for those in preparation for class.

See you tomorrow night!